Testing system in a circuit board manufacturing line for a automatic testing of circuit boards

Abstract

A testing system for automatic testing of circuit boards ( 1 ) in a circuit board manufacturing line. The testing system comprises a set (I) of test modules ( 4 ) comprising a testing apparatus. Each test module comprises a horizontal module conveyor ( 5 ) for conveying a circuit board ( 1 ) into and out of the test module. The test modules are arranged in a superposed relation with respect to each other. The set (I) contains test modules differing from each other so that the testing operations performed by these test modules are different from each other. A feed device ( 6 ) has been fitted to receive circuit boards from the first line conveyor ( 3 ) and to feed them into the test modules ( 4 ).

1. Testing system for automatic testing of circuit boards ( 1 ) in a circuit board manufacturing line, said circuit boards ( 1 ) including different circuit board types requiring different testing, and said testing system comprising a testing apparatus ( 2 ) for performing testing operations, and said manufacturing line comprising a first line conveyor ( 3 ) for feeding circuit boards horizontally in succession as a file into the testing apparatus, characterized in that the testing system comprises;
 a set (I) of test modules ( 4 ) comprising a testing apparatus, each one of said test modules comprising a horizontal module conveyor ( 5 ) for conveying a circuit board ( 1 ) into and out of the test module, said test modules being arranged in a superposed relation with respect to each other, and the set (I) contains test modules differing from each other so that the testing operations performed by these test modules are different from each other; and  
 a feed device ( 6 ) fitted to receive circuit boards from the first line conveyor ( 3 ) and to feed them into the test modules ( 4 ).  
 
     
     
       2. System as defined in  claim 1 , wherein that the circuit board ( 1 ) is provided with an identification code or the like which defines a predetermined testing operation to be performed on the circuit board; that the system comprises an identifying device ( 100 ) for identifying the identification code; and that the feed device ( 6 ) has been fitted to feed the circuit board on the basis of the detected identification code into the one ( 4 ) of test modules that will perform the predetermined testing operation on the circuit board. 
     
     
       3. System as defined in  claim 1 , wherein that the manufacturing line comprises a second line conveyor ( 8 ), whose conveying direction is the same as the conveying direction of the first line conveyor ( 3 ) and which, as seen in the conveying direction, is disposed after the testing apparatus ( 2 ) to receive the circuit boards from the testing apparatus and to convey them horizontally in succession as a file; and that the system comprises a receiving device ( 9 ) disposed on the opposite side of the set of test modules in relation to the feed device ( 6 ), said receiving device ( 9 ) being fitted to receive circuit boards ( 1 ) from the test modules and to feed circuit boards onto the second line conveyor ( 8 ) so that they form a file on it. 
     
     
       4. System as defined in  claim 1 , wherein that each test module ( 4 ) in the set of test modules has been arranged to perform a different test than any other test module in the same set. 
     
     
       5. System as defined in  claim 1 , wherein that the feed device ( 6 ) has been arranged to both feed and receive a circuit board ( 1 ) into/from the test module ( 4 ); and that the receiving device ( 9 ) has been arranged to both receive and feed a circuit board ( 1 ) from/into the test module ( 4 ). 
     
     
       6. System as defined in  claim 5 , wherein that the feed device ( 6 ), the receiving device ( 9 ) and the test modules ( 4 ) have been arranged to cooperate with each other so as to pass the circuit boards successively through each test module in the test module set (I) so that a number of testing operations corresponding to the number of test modules are performed successively on the circuit boards. 
     
     
       7. System as defined in  claim 1 , wherein that the feed device ( 6 ) is a feed elevator ( 6 ) movable in a vertical direction and comprising a number of horizontal first elevator plane conveyors ( 7 ) disposed one above the other at a distance from each other corresponding to the distance between the module conveyors ( 5 ) so that, when the first elevator plane conveyors are in alignment with the module conveyors, the circuit boards can be moved from one conveyor onto the other. 
     
     
       8. System as defined in  claim 3 , wherein that the receiving device ( 9 ) is a vertically movable receiving elevator ( 9 ) comprising a number of horizontal second elevator plane conveyors ( 10 ) disposed one above the other at a distance from each other corresponding to the distance between the module conveyors ( 5 ) so that, when the second elevator plane conveyors are in alignment with the module conveyors, the circuit boards can be moved from one conveyor onto the other. 
     
     
       9. System as defined in  claim 7 , wherein that the module conveyors ( 4 ) are two-way conveyors. 
     
     
       10. System as defined in  claim 7 , wherein that the first elevator plane conveyors ( 7 ) and the second elevator plane conveyors ( 10 ) are two-way conveyors. 
     
     
       11. System as defined in  claim 1 , wherein that the system comprises a second set (II) of test modules ( 4 ′) comprising a testing apparatus and disposed beside the first set (I) of test modules to perform a tests on the circuit boards that differ from the tests performed by the test modules ( 4 ) of the first set (I). 
     
     
       12. System as defined in  claim 11 , wherein that each test module ( 4 ′) in the second set (II) comprises a horizontal module conveyor ( 5 ′) for moving a circuit board into and out of the test module, and which test modules ( 4 ′) of the second set (II) are disposed in a superposed relation to each other and adjacently to the test modules of the first set (I) so that their module conveyors ( 5 ,  5 ′) are in alignment with each other in immediate vicinity of each other to allow the circuit boards ( 1 ) to be moved directly from the module conveyor ( 5 ) of a test module ( 4 ) of the first set (I) onto the module conveyor ( 5 ′) of a test module ( 4 ′) of the second set (II). 
     
     
       13. System as defined in  claim 1 , wherein that the feed device ( 6 ), the set (I, II) of test modules ( 4 ,  4 ′) and the receiving device ( 9 ) have been assembled into a single unit built in a common mounting frame ( 11 ) to form a testing cell (TC) which can be incorporated in a modular manufacturing line consisting of different cells. 
     
     
       14. System as defined in  claim 13 , wherein that the mounting frame ( 11 ) comprises guide supporters ( 12 ) placed at a vertical distance from each other to support the test modules ( 4 ,  4 ′) one above the other and allowing the test module supported by said guide supporters to be removed from and inserted into the mounting frame by a horizontal movement. 
     
     
       15. System as defined in  claim 1 , the test module ( 4 ,  4 ′) comprises a cassette-like frame box ( 13 ), inside which the module conveyor ( 5 ) and the testing apparatus are mounted, said frame box comprising a back wall ( 14 ) provided with rear connectors ( 15 ) for the supply of electricity or the like and/or for the transfer of control data; and that the mounting frame ( 11 ) is provided with counter-connectors ( 16 ) so fitted that the rear connectors and the counter-connectors are coupled when the test module is being mounted in the mounting frame. 
     
     
       16. System as defined in  claim 1 , wherein that the test modules ( 4 ,  4 ′) are disposed above the level of the line conveyors ( 3 ,  8 ). 
     
     
       17. System as defined in  claim 16 , wherein that the system comprises a horizontal transit conveyor ( 17 ) disposed below the lowest test module ( 4 ,  4 ′) in the test module set (I, II), in alignment with the line conveyors ( 3 ,  8 ), for conveying circuit boards through the testing system without having them tested. 
     
     
       18. System as defined in  claim 16 , wherein that the mounting frame ( 11 ) comprises a control gear space ( 18 ) disposed below the test modules ( 4 ,  4 ′) to accommodate control devices used to control the test modules and the feeding and receiving elevators ( 6 ,  9 ). 
     
     
       19. System as defined in  claim 7 , wherein that the feed elevator ( 6 ) and/or the receiving elevator ( 9 ) comprises a vertical guide rail ( 19 ) fixed to the mounting frame ( 11 ); a hoisting slide ( 20 ) arranged to be movable along the vertical guide rail, the elevator plane conveyors ( 7 ,  10 ) being connected to said hoisting slide one above the other at a fixed distance from each other; and a positioning actuator ( 21 ) for moving and positioning the hoisting slide.